PETALING JAYA: The national Under-23 football team had to do without several key players in the squad for their Thailand SEA Games campaign, but head coach Nafuzi Zain is doing fine without them so far.
Malaysia had only 18 players for their opening Group B match against Laos, and got past their first hurdle 4-1 on Saturday at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.
The Harimau Muda were without the services of team captain Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili, as he was playing for Terengganu in their 1-1 draw against Kuching in the Super League on Friday.
Sabah’s Fergus Tierney and Selangor’s Aliff Izwan Yuslan were also unavailable due to club commitments.
“It was not an easy match, especially with us going into it without a full squad,” said Nafuzi.
“We only had 18 players. Some players were not released by the clubs, one had a fever before the match.
“Some players only arrived after the Laos match.
“But I’ve complete trust in my players, and they have shown me what they can deliver on the pitch. I hope this fighting spirit gets us into the semi-finals.”
Nafuzi added that although the clashes in league and tournament schedules have been tough to deal with, the team still managed to prepare themselves at the best level.
“What we could see is that we have made good preparations for the SEA Games, and expectations are high,” said Nafuzi.
“The domestic leagues are still going on back home, and getting players released is a challenge.
“Some players have come halfway. Some return to their clubs while some have met us in Bangkok without any training sessions.
“But this win gives us a good chance to advance,” he said.
Nafuzi will have Ubaidullah back in the team for the next group stage match against Vietnam on Thursday, and it is a must-win match for them to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
